In compliance with standards set by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Rutherford County will host a household oil-based paint collection on Saturday, October 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The event will be held at 1140 Haley Road in Murfreesboro. The actual Household Hazardous Waste Collection is Saturday, November 3 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., but paint of any kind will not be accepted at this event.

Latex paint, also called acrylic paint, is no longer collected at hazardous waste events since it is not actually a hazardous material. Instead it is a nuisance waste that should be dried at home before disposing of in the regular trash. For more information on proper drying methods please refer to the county website at ww.rutherfordcountytn.gov/environmental/education. Refer to the label to determine if paint is either latex or oil-based. The clean up process for latex paint is just soap and water. The label for oil-based paint, also referred to as alkyd, requires solvents for clean-up of brushes and rollers. Oil-based paint is considered hazardous and must be disposed of properly.

This is the only opportunity in the immediate future to properly dispose of oil-based paint. For more information please call either 615 898-7739, or Mimi D. Keisling at 615 542-4633. You may also e-mail questions to mkeisling@rutherfordcountytn.gov or check the county website at www.rutherfordcountytn.gov. Click on the flyer under “Public Notices” for more details.